By the artist,
Jose F Rios
The day was March 15, 1954, the place was Puerto Rico. Where I Jose Rios drew my first breath of air and felt the graceful sun reflecting off of my dark skin.
The youngest of a family of six: Mother, Father, two brothers and one sister. We moved to New York City in 1956 to an old tenement building. It was there I had my first encounter with art. Lying back in my bed with my head dangling off the edge of it. I ignored everything around me starring at the ceiling. I used my eyes as brushes and the cracks and shadows as paints for my canvas. Soon after I started school where my artistic talent was quickly acknowledged and awarded.
When I graduated from High school I received three awards; one was the citywide art award, the other two were the highest art and photography award, given by the school. Even though I was encouraged by teachers to pursue an art career I decided against it. Because I had been on my own since the age 16 (with help from my older brother) I felt it was more important to make a living. I realized later on, it was a mistake. Being that I started using (drugs) at a very young age,
I found myself in a negative environment, surrounded by users. This problem quickly progressed worse and worse, more so, after the death of my father. Unable to function in society, I soon became homeless for, a long, ten years.
Today, in the solitude of my studio I feel the sensation of wanting to dance with every stroke of the brush. I have four years of clean time, in all this chaos I was blessed with a beautiful daughter, Jephthahlyn Rios Rodriguez, who's a college graduate and the mother of my grandson. It is she, who has organized my first solo showing. My three and a half years of artwork is where I speak of the past, the present and always looking into the future. |
